21 more killed as floods turn Chitral upside down

CHITRAL: Twenty-one people, including six of a family, were killed as fresh floods inundated various villages in the district, raising the death toll to 27 in the district.
It was learnt that 40 houses were washed away while over 100 sustained partial damage in Saht village in Morkhow tehsil. Fifteen houses collapsed and 10 dwellings were partially damaged in Authol and houses were destroyed in Muzhgol, Warijun and Gaht villages.
The local people said that 13 bodies had been retrieved from the floodwater while efforts were being made to locate the others. The deceased also included women and children.
Some of the dead were identified as Haider Hussain, Khalida Bibi, wife of Arman Wali Khan, wife of Sher Habib, Minhas Bibi, Shehnaz Bibi, Mohammad Amin, Izharul Haq, Jamila Bibi, Anwaar Bibi, Misbahul Haq, Rahimul Haq, Ihteramul Haq, Ihteshamul Haq, Alima Bibi and others.
In Mochal Gol, dozens of shops, three motorcycles and two pick-up vans were washed away by the flooding. A filling station was also inundated. A woman, wife of one Farman, was swept away by the gushing water in Greenlusht village.
The flooding in Istan Gol and Mroy Gol washed away the Booni-Chitral road, disconnecting the upper areas with the Chitral town. Golen Gol from where clean drinking water was being provided to Chitral town also came under floodwater.
Bamburet and Rambur valleys were also cut off from Chitral town.
Meanwhile, a C-130 carrying relief goods reached Chitral from Islamabad. The Army helicopters also busy shifting the stranded people and providing relief assistance to the needy people. A C-130 aircraft carrying relief goods, including dry ration and water for flood-affected people, landed in Chitral on Saturday. According to a PAF spokesman, the aircraft also evacuated 46 people from Chitral while on its way back to PAF Base Nur Khan.
The Jamaatud Dawa-affiliated Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation Chairman Hafiz Abdul Rauf told reporters that 55 members of his organisation were engaged in relief activities in the flood-hit areas in Chitral.
He said three tankers were providing clean drinking water to the flood affectees. He said that meals were also being provided to 600 people daily.
Abdul Rauf said that ration bags containing ghee, rice, sugar, pulses and other food items had been distributed among 300 families.
He said three ambulances and medical teams of the foundation had arrived in Chitral to treat the ailing people. He said that the damaged mosques and houses would also be rebuilt.
A youth Bagh Ali and his father Muhammad Yaqoob died of lightning when they were shifting their belongings to safer places in a boat from the flood-hit area, Muzaffargarh DPO Awais Ahmed Malik said. He said the bodies of another two people, who had been swept away by gushing water in Daira Din Panah (Kot Addu), were also recovered.
Iftikhar Ali Sahu said at least 263,000 people had been affected so far after the breach in a protection dyke at Jakhar Imam Shah, while two others were partially damaged in Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.
In Ghotki district of Sindh, flood induced by heavy rains inundated several villages and swept away many houses.
Similarly, emergency warning centres/ control rooms have also been set up in all districts and tehsils of Azad Kashmir.
According to the Met Office, strong monsoon currents are expected to penetrate in upper parts of the country during Sunday to Tuesday that may interact with westerly wave. Strong monsoon currents are likely to penetrate southern parts of the country during Monday to Thursday.
It warned that widespread rains with scattered heavy to very heavy falls are expected in Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala and Lahore divisions besides Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai Kurram agencies of Fata, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during Sunday to Tuesday.
Similar weather is expected in Sukkur, Larkana, Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, DG Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Zhob, Sibbi, Nasirabad and DI Khan divisions from Monday to Thursday.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday assured the flood-affected people of the government’s all-out support and help in their testing time.
Talking to reporters during his visit to the Multan Metro Bus project site, the CM said all government departments and institutions have been engaged in combating flood devastations.
He said that he was set to visit the Layyah flood-affected areas but could not proceed from Multan due to bad weather. He said flood victims would be accommodated and compensated at all levels and they would not be left alone at all.